Motorcycle News, Editorials, Product Reviews and Bike Reviews

Pain Triumphs with Podium Finish for Yamaha As 2014 Dakar Comes to an End

Yamaha Factory Racing’s Olivier Pain has taken a hard won podium with third overall in the 2014 Dakar Rally today after 13 extremely challenging stages. Pain engaged in a close battle with teammate Cyril Despres over the last 157 kilometres of the final special, coming home in second to finally win the third place on the podium. Pain had been 40 minutes back from the podium on the rest day, making his attack on the second half of the Rally even more impressive.

Despres had been on track to win his third special aboard his YZ450F machine in a week today to finish just behind Olivier in fourth place in the overall standings. Unfortunately a five minute penalty for speeding resulted in a drop from first on the special to fifth. Despres retained fourth in the standings, less than 15 minutes from second place. The five-time Dakar winner made an impressive comeback over the rally, having been in 12th at the end of stage five and 11th on the rest day. Despite some issues and time penalties, the 2013 champion’s first Dakar with Yamaha showed great potential, with riding hours comparable to the first and second placed riders.
Cyril Despres

Cyril’s support rider Michael Metge finished the 2014 Dakar with a strong result, taking seventh on the last special of the Rally having set the pace early on in the stage. The Yamaha Factory rider scored his best ever Dakar stage finish of sixth this year to take 13th overall in the final standings.

Venezuelan rider Nicolas Vagnoni’s continued to lead the G2 Marathon class on his Yamaha WR450 machine until the end. With a 41-minute advantage over second place, Vagnoni took a well-deserved class win.

Chile’s Ignacio Casale was the special stage winner again today on his Yamaha Raptor 700 quad to secure yet another consecutive Dakar Rally quad victory for Yamaha. He wasn’t alone on the podium, second place fell to Polish rider Rafal Sonik, making it a Yamaha one-two. The only female quad rider in the event, Italian Camelia Liparoti brought her Yamaha home in 13th overall after an impressive performance.

Olivier Pain
Yamaha Factory Racing

“I’m really pleased to have achieved my goal and got myself and my Yamaha on the podium. After months of hard work, both with the team and the people who help me with my physical preparation it is a source of great satisfaction. To have done so ahead of the ‘King of the Desert’ (Cyril Despres) gives it even more worth. This morning before the start I felt some pressure knowing he was just behind me but it was also an extra source of motivation. And of course this was a particularly hard Dakar so the result has all the more merit. I’m looking forward to celebrating tonight with the rest of the team.”

Cyril Despres
Yamaha Factory Racing

“I attacked so hard on the special that my front disc got really hot, causing the pick up on my tripmeter to malfunction. It meant that I didn’t have the right information on my navigation equipment, which in turn made following the road book difficult. Still, I got close to the podium and have the satisfaction of knowing I gave it my absolute maximum. Congratulations to Olivier. He rode a really good race and thoroughly deserves his podium place – a reward for all the effort the team have put into the rally programme.”

Michael Metge
Yamaha Factory Racing

“Obviously I am delighted to have made it to the finish of what everybody says was an exceptionally hard Dakar. I am also really pleased to have spent it in the company of Cyril and been able to learn so much from him. He has been extremely generous with his many years of experience and for me the whole process has been extremely rewarding – I am sure it will prove very useful in the future. Thank you also to the whole team, both here and back at home, for all the hard work they have put in.”

Alexandre Kowalski
Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager

“Yamaha are very proud of this podium and delighted for Olivier, the reward for so many months hard work. This last week in particular has gone very well with 3 special wins for Cyril and a Yamaha on the podium every day. It is just a pity that things didn’t go quite so well on the first week… Now we will go home with a lot of very useful information and start working again so as to be able to come back and win.”